Agent 33 and Ward hold up a diner Pulp Fiction-style and kidnap a guy who can fix her nano mask. The mask cannot be removed, but he fixes it so 33 can look at a face and change the nano mask in the blink of an eye. It can only store three faces at a time and she has May’s voice, but 33 has the option of turning the mask off. She tries to seduce Ward by shifting into Skye, but he swears he is over her and wants to get to know the real 33.
Instead, Ward has a surprise for Agent 33: they are going to break Bakshi out of the prison Talbot is holding him in. Agent 33 poses as Talbot’s wife to get in, then takes over the face of another lieutenant so she can take out the security feeds. Ward rolls in and kills a couple security officers, but the plan is mucked up when Mrs. Talbot calls from the car, late with the Taco Tuesday dinner. He realized he has been nano-masked and brings in all the female naval officers and questions them, trying to weed out the mole. They all pass, because 33 has taken over the body of a short, recently murdered navy man. But it leads to some good humor with Talbot, including a funny scene where he nearly shoots his real wife out of paranoia. Ward and 33 have no problem escaping with Bakshi for some unannounced revenge plot.
Hunter is brought in on the “real” SHIELD, led by Robert Gonzalez. The basic premise of star SHIELD seems to be that they believe Coulson has been compromised by Nick Fury’s way of running SHIELD. Fury had too many secrets and Gonzalez thinks Coulson is on the same path. Star SHIELD wants transparency. Frankly, I refuse to believe that there isn’t some more nefarious plot in the works, because “transparency” is a really dull reason to have a second secret agency. Hunter refuses to join star SHIELD and even wants Bobbi to run away with him, so they can start their lives anew, but she is dedicated to star SHIELD. Hunter refuses, and Gonzalez insists Hunter remains in their compound until the Coulson situation is “dealt with.” Hunter doesn’t take kindly to this and runs. No one is eager to chase him – because they are on an aircraft carrier in the middle of the ocean. Even still, he steals one of the escape pods. It should take him about 12 hours to get to shore, at which point they can’t track him or his communications. So Bobbi has 12 hours to take care of Coulson – she promises she only needs six.
Mack returns to regular SHIELD, maintaining his cover, that he was trying to get off-the-rails Hunter under control. He couldn’t, which is why he went back to the agency without Hunter. May is concerned because he is AWOL and knows a lot of secrets – but it is all a ruse. She and Coulson know that Mack is hiding something and it looks like now is the time to find out what. Also, Coulson has taken Skye to one of Fury’s safe houses. It is not just for the team’s protection but for Skye’s as well, giving her a chance to learn how to control her new powers. Plus, she has been taken off active duty. Simmons has made Skye some special gloves that will help dampen the effects of her quaking. Skye isn’t happy about her new situation, but she understands. Coulson feels guilty. And I feel bored. This was another one of those middling episodes that is setting up the rest of the season.
You can check out the promo for Episode 2.15 of “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” in the player below. Titled “One Door Closes,” the episode is officially described as follows:
“War comes to Coulson’s doorstep in a way he never anticipated as shocking revelations are brought to light, and Skye struggles to control her new abilities but will soon make a decision that irrevocably changes her life.”
Written by Lauren LeFranc & Rafe Judkins and directed by David Solomon, “One Door Closes” is set to air March 31. “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” airs Tuesdays at 9 P.M. EST on ABC.
